DENBIGHSHIRE'S school meals saga has hit more turbulence after bad weather cost the education authority £96,000.

The service is still reeling in the aftermath of the cold snap, which forced schools across the county to close. Now it may never be in profit – even if take-up rates were to rocket to the maximum.

The setback comes just weeks after a new initiative saw the council rake in £24,000 as record number of pupils shelled out for hot dinners. But now the question mark that loomed over the future of the provision has returned, as school meal losses hit £250k annually.

Councillors have tasked officers to find ways of reducing the deficit, which includes the £96,000.

The cash was lost during January’s big freeze and includes staff wages, wasted fresh food and the fact that schools re-opened “spasmodically”.

Elsewhere across North Wales, other councils also recorded losses, especially in the north east areas. The bad weather collectively cost the region £193,937 with Flintshire losing £57,000 and Wrexham, £33,661. Conwy’s primary schools were affected for between one to seven days costing the authority £7,276.

In March, it was reported how Denbighshire council had spearheaded a number of schemes to engage headteachers and boost meal uptake. As a result, Rhyl High School pupils in particular, generated increased income of £24,000 over the academic year. In primary schools, new initiatives and branding exercises also resulted in a bigger take-up rate of 4.57% compared to the previous year.

But since the Modernising Education Agenda reshuffle, which could see closures and mergers across the county, focus has been taken away from the provision until the new school term this September, when it will again become a priority in time for the Welsh Assembly Government’s Appetite for Life agenda for Welsh schools.

A Denbighshire council spokesman said: “Even though the snow costs were extremely high this year, we still managed to reduce the deficit in the service. This is a really encouraging result that bodes well.”